The Holiday Setup
by LornaCat
Summary: callian (and some AU suliet from Lost) - Cal and Gillian lose a bet, and their punishment is to find blind dates for each other. A long weekend right before the holidays leads four people to realize they might be paired with the wrong partner.


_**A/N:**_ _Technically a Lie To Me / Lost crossover, however the main idea is Callian so I am only posting under the Lie To Me category. If you haven't watched Lost, just do a search for 'suliet'. You're welcs!_

 _ **Summary:**_ _A lost bet leads to two blind dates; those dates lead to two potential relationships; and a long weekend vacation right before the holidays leads four people to realize they might be paired with the wrong partner._

 _ **Pairings:**_ _misguided Gillian/James & Cal/Juliet, leading to Callian (& Suliet)_

 _ **Rated T**_ _for suggestive/adult language_

* * *

 _ **The Holiday Setup**_

The debate began in line at the coffee shop. Eli spotted a young pair sharing a table, and wondered if they were on a blind date. Gillian scoffed at the idea, a reaction that intrigued Eli enough to dig deeper.

"Did you just _shudder_?" he asked his boss.

"They're the worst, Loker. Blind dates are the worst." She repeated in case he didn't hear it the first three times.

The debate continued on the walk back to the office and through halls, not stopping even when they arrived at the conference room. Ria was there waiting, and Cal joined shortly after.

"If you were one hundred percent honest all the time like I am - "

"Oh, you must be a joy to meet on a blind date." Ria chimed in.

"Is that what we're talking about?" Cal checked in.

"Blind dates: charming or horrifying?" Gillian demanded.

"Horrifying." Cal answered immediately, shocked that there was any other option.

"Thank you!" Gillian exclaimed.

"What!?" Eli squawked. "Of all people? I figured you'd understand the appeal of meeting new people that way."

"Meeting new people, fine." Cal conceded. "But meeting on a date, that someone else chose for you?"

"Exactly." said Gillian. "It's a whole different set of expectations. The politics of friendship come into play, and-"

"It's an utter mess." Cal finished her thought. Gillian's appreciative nod suggested it was accurate.

"Am I completely outnumbered here?" Eli asked Ria.

She considered her own track record. "I'm not the biggest fan, but even bad dates produce good stories."

Cal looked at Gillian while gesturing toward their younger counterparts. "The youth."

"It's not an age thing-" Ria's defensive nature compelled her to deny it immediately.

"It most definitely is." Cal insisted.

Gillian nodded. "I have to agree with Cal here."

"There's a first time for everything." Cal remarked under his breath, earning him a narrow-eyed smirk from his partner.

"You reach a certain point in your life," Gillian elaborated. "Where you don't want surprises. You want familiarity."

Eli and Ria turned to each other to share a look.

"What?" Gillian asked. "What is that?"

"Nothing." said Ria. Eli opened his mouth to spew his honest answer, but Ria shot him another look. " _Nothing_."

"That's a lot of nothing." said Cal, regarding them with a suspicious smirk.

Gillian sensed awkwardness approaching. "It's time for work." she said.

Waiting until Gillian and Cal had both turned, Eli and Ria looked at each other and smiled.

 _Familiarity._ Sure.

* * *

The debate was over for the time being, but it was still on their minds as they prepared for a session in the cube.

"You think he did it?" Ria asked idly, mostly joking.

"He's guilty." Cal joked back.

"He's innocent." Eli countered.

Gillian heard conviction in Eli's voice. "You sound pretty sure there, Loker."

So they did the most unethical thing possible and made a bet based on their current case. If Eli was right, Cal and Gillian would have to choose blind dates for each other as their punishment. Cal's prize would be gloating privileges; he wouldn't ask for more because he was one hundred percent confident.

He was also one hundred percent wrong.

Later that day, Cal and Gillian sat in her office, contemplating their life choices.

"This isn't really happening, is it?" she asked.

"We can't back out of this one." he told her.

"Why not?"

"Because then I won't be able to hold him to promises the next time _he_ loses a bet."

Gillian tapped her pen against her desktop and stared at Cal. He stared back.

"Part of me wants to choose someone terrible, just so we can prove them wrong."

"You wouldn't do that to me." Cal replied with pleading eyes.

"...No." Gillian relented. "But only because I don't want you to do that to me either."

Cal flashed an impish grin. "What _can_ I do to you?"

Gillian smirked in response. "Find me a soul mate?"

Cal's smile softened. "I'll do my best."

* * *

The following week, Eli and Ria demanded an update. The deadline was looming and they didn't trust Mom and Pop to follow through.

"Have you chosen?" Eli asked Gillian.

"We'll need to choose a secondary punishment if you miss the window." Ria warned.

Eli turned to Cal next. "Even _you_ must know _some_ one good enough -"

Gillian interrupted before Eli could finish that statement.

"There will be no need for secondary punishments." she assured the unrelenting pair.

"Do tell." Ria arched one eyebrow.

"Are these not _blind_ dates?" Cal groused.

"Just give us a hint." said Eli. "Some vague details, to get us all excited."

"Phrasing." Ria whispered.

"I said what I meant."

Cal and Gillian looked at each other, waiting.

"Ladies first." Cal offered, a hint of a smile playing at his lips.

Gillian assumed a poker face. "She's tall. And blonde."

"A tall blonde?" Cal seemed pleased. "Mine too."

"She's a doctor." Gillian continued. "Very clever. Smarter than you. I might go so far as to say she's an expert in snark."

Cal clutched his chest, in love with the description already.

Ria and Eli narrowed their eyes and stole glances. There was so much to unpack here.

"Now you." said Gillian.

"Well. He's tall, and blonde. He's a cop. I know you like those law-abiding hero types."

Gillian chuckled, an involuntary grin transforming her face into sunshine.

"Excellent." Eli said approvingly, for the moment quite pleased. He still believed in the fun and fascination of blind dates, and he knew Gillian and Cal loved each other too much to pair their best friend with someone awful. He was really looking forward to hearing the stories.

* * *

Gillian's tall blonde was Dr. Juliet Burke, the only fertility specialist with whom Gillian kept in touch after the failed attempts in her previous marriage. They were good friends, with just enough distance to justify subjecting her to an unsupervised first date with Cal.

Cal's tall blonde was Detective James Ford. Their meeting a few cases ago initiated an exchange of consultation freebies, and it was Cal's turn to call in a favor. Yet it was James that would owe Cal big time for setting him up with Cal's most treasured friend.

* * *

 _Hot._

The text from Gillian popped up on Cal's phone while he was waiting for his date to arrive.

 _You're welcome._ he texted back.

 _No no; YOU are._ Gillian's reply insisted, just moments before Cal saw Juliet for the first time.

 _Indeed._ Cal quickly wrote back, adding a blushing shock emoji for good measure. He tucked his phone away like a good gentleman for the rest of the date. He was all about eye contact anyway.

* * *

"So." James broke the ice over drinks. "I heard you lost a bet."

"Technically, yes." Gillian admitted with sheepish reluctance.

"I guess that makes me the punishment?"

"No." Her answer this time lacked any doubt. "The threat of a blind date was the punishment. You..." Gillian took a deep breath and did her very best not to look him up and down. "...are definitely not a punishment."

"That's good to hear." James' smile revealed very cute dimples. "From the way he talks about you, I'm honored he'd consider me worthy of the chance."

"Did he tell you to say that, though?"

James grimaced, as if caught between honor and honesty. Gillian had her answer. It tickled her to think of Cal and his friend conspiring to make her feel extra special.

"Sometimes I forget how well he knows me." she remarked between sips of red wine.

"Oh really?" James asked in a teasing tone. "Am I your type, Doc?"

Dimples, confidence, and a nickname based on her hard-earned credentials? Cal really was her best friend for picking this guy out.

* * *

"I'm almost afraid to ask what you've heard about me." That was a lie. Cal was dying to know. "I'm sure you received dire warnings."

Juliet's sly smile was all the answer he needed. But she was nice enough to verbally confirm.

"Gillian did...prepare me, yes."

"I'm under strict instructions to behave myself." Cal assured her.

"Are you really capable of behaving yourself?"

"When I want to."

"And how often do you want to?"

"Almost never. But it's Gill's reputation on the line here."

"Then I hope you don't behave _too_ well. She told me that even if I knew better, your charm would be overpowering."

She was messing with him. They both were. And he loved it. Cal forced the grin off his face and feigned an emotional wound at such talk.

"I'm not that bad, am I?"

"I think that's what we're here to find out."

"Whatever she told you, it's all true. She knows me better than I know myself..."

* * *

That was Friday night; the following Monday morning, Eli and Ria were both eager for a follow-up.

"She looks relaxed." Ria said to Eli.

"Happy, even." Eli replied. "As if something _unexpectedly fun_ happened over the weekend."

"Are you going to refer to us in the third person all day?" Gillian asked them, since she was seated five feet away at the table in the kitchen.

Ria sprinkled another packet of sugar into her coffee cup and regarded Gillian with suspicion. That was when Cal arrived. He and Gillian looked at each other and smiled.

"I told you." Gillian said, taking a very smug sip of her cappuccino. Her eyes sparkled over the edge of the cup, causing Cal's smile to widen to a grin.

"You did." said Cal.

Eli cleared his throat in a cartoonishly obvious manner.

"Oh, I'm sorry, do you recognize my presence now?" Gillian asked.

"Please share your details with the rest of the class." said Ria.

"What details?" Cal poured a sloppy cup of black coffee to take back to his office. "We upheld our end of the deal, the rest is between me and Foster."

"The bet was about proving blind dates can be fun." Eli reminded him. "So we need to know. The punishment is not complete until a conclusion is reached."

"Mine was fun." Gillian freely admitted with a casual shrug.

"Yeah?" Cal asked. "Mine too."

"Oh really?" Gillian teased, as if they hadn't texted each other about it over the weekend. They shared another wicked smile.

"Not _that_ fun." said Cal. "Was _yours_ that fun?"

"Almost."

"Cheeky trollop." Cal bumped her shoulder lovingly with his elbow on his way past her seat.

"This is delicious." Eli murmured, making Ria almost snort coffee up her nose. Their bosses always provided a treasure trove of verbal and physical cues to catalogue for later analysis.

"I just want to point out," Gillian cut in. "This doesn't prove blind dates are an acceptable form of social interaction. I think it just proves Cal and I are really good at predicting each other's tastes and responses."

"Correct." Cal chimed in. "And if you factor that in, it was barely blind at all."

"Wow," said Ria. "This really worked out well for you guys. Will there be second dates?"

Cal turned to Gillian; her infectious smile implied good news.

"We made tentative plans to go shopping for holiday gifts for our families." she reported.

"Adorable." said Eli.

"Isn't it just?" Cal agreed.

"You should go shopping with Juliet." Gillian said to Cal. "I have a hard enough time picking gifts out for Emily without you stealing all my best ideas."

Gillian was leaving the kitchen table so she missed the glimmer of disappointment in Cal's expression.

"Maybe this 'Juliet' can help you pick out a decent gift for Foster this year." Ria suggested in a stage whisper. Gillian gave Cal's shoulder a sympathetic pat on her way out of the kitchen. Ria followed her so they could carpool to a field interview. That left Cal in the kitchen with Eli, who was waiting and watching expectantly.

"What?" Cal said between gulps of black coffee.

"...You're welcome?"

"I am." Cal agreed, turning to leave without another word.

* * *

Gillian met James at a home goods store for their second date. It was never too early to conduct a thorough personality test based on shopping.

"And this is for Lightman's daughter?"

"Yes, Emily. She just turned twenty-one and I'm really trying to resist alcohol-related gifts."

"Ah." James nodded knowingly. "Out of respect to Lightman?"

"God no." Gillian snorted. "Because I already bought her wine glasses last year."

James chuckled. "I'll admit, I sympathize with the over-protective father in him. I'm not even ready to think about Clementine driving a car, let alone drinking."

"Aw, you have plenty of time." Gillian assured him. "Almost double digits though?"

"I know," James groaned. "She'll be ten years old in five weeks, Don't remind me."

"Do you know what you're going to get her?"

"For Christmas? Oh I don't know, her wish list is only about twenty pages long."

Gillian's warm giggle made James smile.

"Let's take a look." she offered, and they made plans to go to a toy store next.

* * *

"I tend to get lost in my work." Juliet confessed.

"A common side-effect of divorce." Cal remarked, having known it all too well himself. "Or was it the cause?"

"Exactly." Juliet took a break from perusing the shelves of toys to offer a sympathetic smile. "But I'm trying to break myself of that habit. Hence agreeing to our blind date."

"Is it safe to assume you don't do that often?"

"Normally I'd schedule a root canal to get out of it."

"Good to know you were as against the idea as I was."

"Lucky for me, you lost that bet, and Gillian is very persuasive. I needed a big distraction."

"I've been told I'm very distracting."

"Gillian did mention that." Juliet had a familiar sparkle in her eyes. Did she know it drove Cal crazy to think about what Gill might say when he wasn't around?

"What do you think," Juliet held up a toy stethoscope. "Brainwash them early?"

Cal considered it very seriously. "For your nephew?"

Juliet nodded.

"How old?"

"He'll be six in January."

Cal scoffed at the toy. "You want a surgeon? We can do better than that. Where are the power tools and baby dolls?"

As they went around the corner to the next aisle, they nearly bumped into a funhouse mirror image. Gillian saw Cal with a beautiful blonde by his side, and Cal noticed Gillian approaching with the strapping lad he'd chosen for her.

 _mine_

That jealous spark was squelched before it could show in their faces. They smiled instead, those sly, knowing smiles that Eli and Ria had witnessed in the kitchen.

"Fancy meeting you here." Cal said to Gillian, right before they all exchanged friendly hellos. Gillian introduced their dates to each other, and the tall blondes shook hands. Cal and Gillian were too busy making silly-eyed faces at one other to notice a silent question in Juliet's eyes when they met James'. She thought she recognized him but couldn't attach the feeling to a memory. She had to shake it off so she could hear how Cal and James knew each other.

"We've worked together a handful of times." Cal explained. "I 'spose enough to trust the man."

"We've saved each other's hides a few times by now. How do you two know each other?" James asked the women innocently enough.

"Oh, we go back a ways..." said Gillian.

"Story for another day." Juliet brushed it off casually, a gesture for which Gillian was very grateful.

"You took my suggestion." Gillian said to Juliet, happy yet shocked that Cal had acquiesced. "Still looking for Emily?"

"Not here, no." said Juliet. "I need to find something for my five-year-old nephew."

"Nine-year-old daughter, here." James smiled. And then he stared at Juliet for a beat too long. She looked back at him and the question passed between them again.

"I'm sorry," James interrupted the conversation. "You look so familiar...have we met before? Someplace else?"

"I was thinking the same thing," Juliet admitted. "But I really can't place it."

Their feelings of jealousy transferred easily back to their dates, now that the dates were looking into each other's eyes with mysterious intimacy. Gillian found herself slipping her hand around James' elbow, just as Cal was placing his arm lightly and casually around Juliet's shoulders.

"Should we all stop for lunch?" Gillian asked the group. "Would that be weird?"

Cal looked at her with amusement. "It'd be a little weird." he teased.

"I think that's because you're a little weird." Gillian retorted.

"Touché." he said. "But you said I always steal your gifts ideas, so I'm just trying to be good for the first time in my life."

"Listen to Juliet. She will help you."

"You heard the woman." James added.

"I'm yours." Cal said to Juliet. "Do with me what you will."

"Famous last words." Juliet deadpanned.

Gillian slipped her arm further around James'. "You've got your work cut out for you." she warned Juliet. "The last woman that tried to tame Cal had to leave the city in disgrace."

"Careful, Foster, I know your secrets too." Cal's murmured loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Time to go!" Gillian sang, pulling on James' arm. "Good luck..." she intoned in Juliet's direction.

James glanced over his shoulder to get one last look at the other couple.

"The two of you crack me up."

Gillian looked up at him and smiled. "Why's that?"

"Well, Lightman is Lightman. I think you're one of the few people on the entire planet that can keep him on his toes."

That pleased Gillian quite a bit.

"You sure you two never...?" James trailed off. He felt her arm go stiff.

"Excuse me?" Gillian asked. If he was going to go there, he'd have to _go there_.

"Hey, I had to check with him when he brought up the blind date. I've got too much going on with Clementine to wade into a complicated situation between friends, or former..."

Unwilling to step any further out of line, James let an innocent hand gesture imply the rest.

"Nothing former." Gillian said. "Just friends."

James was very handsome. When he smiled it tended to melt certain articles of clothing, so the subtle smirk he was sporting helped soften Gillian's defensive edge.

"If there was ever a ship to begin with," she went on, "It has long since sailed. Dashed on the rocks of Cal's winning personality."

James chuckled with pained sympathy.

"I mean that with love. But-"

"Lightman is Lightman." James said with her.

"Come on," she said, breaking the rest of the tension as she walked ahead. "Let's find something for your partner. What does he like?"

"Things that aren't appropriate for a second date conversation." James muttered.

Gillian spun around and smiled one of the smiles that always drove Cal crazy. "Try me." she said, tone sweet and intention anything but.

* * *

"So it's not complicated?" Juliet asked. They were headed toward that home goods store, having a very similar conversation.

"Me and Foster?" Cal asked.

Juliet nodded.

"Nah, it's simple. We're besties."

"You've known each other a long time."

"You've known her longer." Cal teased. "Is it complicated for you?"

"Oh, terribly."

Cal grinned, and Juliet browsed sample place settings. His own words echoed back to him, and it made him curious.

"Are you close?"

"With Gillian?" Juliet asked.

Cal nodded.

"I think so."

He let that digest. Juliet picked up on it, just like Gillian would.

"Are you worried about what she's told me?"

Cal held thumb and forefinger about a centimeter apart. "A smidge."

"Well." Juliet smiled a cryptic smile. Just like Gillian would. "I'll never tell."

"I have ways of getting the truth out of people." Cal warned, moving closer to her. "What about this one?" he said abruptly, pointing at a set of fine looking flatware as if that was his only intention.

Juliet cleared her throat. She was beginning to understand, truly, what Gillian had told her. "No." she said. Her body moved closer to his so she could point at the design she liked. "This one."

"You think?"

"Mm-hm." Juliet turned to face him, inches away, not intimidated.

Cal held her gaze. "Then I guess we're done here."

"I hope not."

* * *

After their third dates, Ria barely had to prompt Gillian for more information. They whispered over the coffee machine in the kitchen, until the boys came in with their big ears and even bigger mouths.

"This has worked out so much better than I ever imagined." Eli said, once he was filled in on Gillian's latest. "I don't think I even like blind dates, I was just trying to prove a point."

Ria rolled her eyes at Eli's confession, but she agreed with his earlier statement. "You owe Eli big time if this all works out."

"Not true." Cal reported, brandishing his coffee defiantly. "I'll owe Gillian. She's the one that set us up."

Gillian smiled smugly in Eli's direction. "You're welcome." she then said to Cal.

"So did you sleep with her yet?" Eli asked Cal.

"Loker!" Ria scolded him. "Don't be gross." Yet when Ria turned to Cal, she had the same expectant look as the other three. Cal glanced only at Gillian, who had her eyebrows raised in question.

"...There was a kiss." he teased.

"Just one?" Ria pressed, crossing her arms and furrowing her brow.

He could feel Gillian's gaze on him intensify. Tongue in cheek, Cal narrowed his eyes at Ria. "There were a few."

"Scintillating." Gillian murmured jokingly into her cup.

"Has Detective Ford seen _your_ apartment yet?" Cal asked, turning the spotlight back on her.

"Just the stoop." she revealed innocently.

"A lot can happen on a stoop." said Cal.

"Don't I know it."

Ria chuckled, recalling the details Gillian had shared.

"So, both of you are progressing at about the same pace." Eli paused to think on a new hypothesis. "Slowly..."

"Sometimes it's worth treading carefully." said Cal.

"You really like these strangers?" said Ria.

"Less and less strange every day." said Gillian.

"She's wrapping me around her little finger, slowly but surely." Cal admitted.

"Something tells me you like a woman that can keep you on your toes." Ria remarked wryly.

Gillian felt a little funny when she heard Ria's particular phrasing, and Ria only made it worse by immediately glancing at Gillian when she said it. Gillian looked away, only to get caught in a more intense staring contest with Cal.

 _What?_ Gillian asked without speaking.

"What did you tell her about me?" Cal asked, savoring his last sip to prevent himself from smiling.

Gillian felt no need to suppress the grin that spread across her own face. She chuckled to herself, and said absolutely nothing.

"Ahhh, yes." Eli murmured to himself as he observed their behavior. "Delicious..."

* * *

"Did Juliet ask you about the trip?"

It was a few days after their latest update, and Gillian was curious as to what Cal thought of the idea. She leaned against the jamb of his office door, and Cal watched her from behind the desk.

"She did." said Cal. "Are you in?"

"I thought it might be fun."

"Is the detective available?"

Gillian smiled. "Yes. And interested."

"Why wouldn't he be? Three nights in a remote cabin, cozying up to you?"

"It's not a _cabin_." Gillian chided him. "We'll have electricity and plumbing."

"Of course. But it's so cold and snowy. You'll need the cozying."

"Yes, cozying too." she relented. "And booze."

Cal smiled softly, as charmed by her reticence as he was by the idea of Gillian being open to the idea of romance again.

"You're allowed to be excited, you know."

"Don't forget to bring a gift for the host." Gillian said, ignoring all the stuff beneath the surface as she turned to leave.

"I'm the gift." Cal called after her.

" _God's_ gift." she called back.

Cal chuckled. Gillian reappeared in the doorway moments later, eyebrows furrowed in question.

"Do you want to carpool?"

* * *

Juliet owned a palatial vacation house, wrested from her ex-husband during the divorce, and she'd kept it quite cozy indeed. There were logs ready for the fireplace, and enough cocoa to warm a small army lined the cupboards. She heard the first car pull up as she was opening a bottle of wine. It was the first bottle of many she planned to drink with friends that weekend.

James arrived first, parking his old pick-up truck in the driveway. Juliet peeked through the curtains on the front window and watched him grab a duffel bag from the front seat. He adjusted the way his scarf was tucked into his tailored gray pea coat, which caused Juliet to tug subconsciously at the slouchy collar of her knit sweater.

 _Lucky woman_. Juliet thought of Gillian, and of the make-out she'd described over their last lunch together.

The door opened as James walked up the front steps, and the woman that greeted him looked like an angel. Straight blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, and a frustratingly familiar face besides.

"Hi." she said with a smile, with a voice as soft as her baby blue sweater.

 _There's no way I've met her before,_ James thought. _I'd remember if I did._

* * *

 _Running late, see you soon._ Gillian texted Juliet from Cal's car.

 _No worries; James is already here though... :)_

"Do you call him Jim?"

"...No."

"Jimmy?"

"Cal."

"What?"

"Stop."

"You'd tell Ria, wouldn't you?"

" _James_. I call him James."

"That's not very imaginative."

" _Cal -_ "

"I think we're here."

Cal pulled into the driveway, parking next to a beat up truck. He would have made a joke about the truck, but they were both too distracted by the house. They gawked as they gathered their bags and gifts from the back seat.

"Not too shabby, Dr. Burke." Cal murmured.

"It must be nice." said Gillian. "You're hard to impress."

"She's been impressive so far. Really got me in the holiday spirit."

"Good for you, Ebenezer."

"Come on then, Tiny Tim. Grab your little bags and I'll carry you to the stoop."

Gillian tsked, but she was smiling when she smacked Cal's arm in protest.

* * *

"I made up four of the bedrooms," Juliet explained once everyone had a chance to greet one another. "I won't be offended by any sleeping arrangement you choose."

It was a big house. Lots of places for consenting adults to find privacy. But Cal knew he'd be sleeping alone that night; Juliet had asked for more time, and he wasn't sure if that was for herself or for Gillian's sake. She'd explained that she was over the rebound stage of the divorce, and she was cautious about letting new people into her life.

There was so much about Juliet that reminded him of his best friend, most of all the subtle distance that kept him just far enough away. And if he knew Gillian at all, she wouldn't want her first time with James to happen in a house with two friends that were waiting for an intangible milestone to pass. They'd all have to get pretty drunk to bypass all of this etiquette. It was a good thing their gifts for the hostess were bourbon and wine.

Gillian carried her glass of white wine around with her on the house tour, and drank another as she helped Cal cook the dinner they'd brought with them. By the time dinner was served, everyone was relaxed and having a grand old time.

"Juliet, this is amazing." said Gillian. "Thank you."

"Thank you for joining me. This house is way too big for one person."

"It's big for ten." James joked, and yet he wasn't really joking.

Juliet smiled, picking up her wine glass as she reminisced. "My ex and I hosted a lot of large parties over the years. It's the reason we bought the house." She raised her glass slightly, a playful twinkle in her eyes. "Here's to erasing all of his memories and making new ones."

"I'll drink to that." said James. Gill and Cal agreed, and so they did.

* * *

Around the fireplace later that night, four slightly drunk friends shared relationship war stories from their pasts.

"He tried to quit," said Gillian, trying to cut Alec some slack. "He really did. There were about four good months in there, before it got worse again."

"I probably busted his dealer." James joked.

Gillian laughed along with all of them, but then she leaned back and draped an arm over her forehead. "Mmm, I shouldn't be telling you this."

"If we keep drinking, none of us will remember." said Juliet.

"Cal will remember." Gillian looked over at him. He was slouched in his chair, empty glass resting on his chest, and he had that look of a friend who could say so much more but chose not to.

"Remember when you thought he was cheating on me?" Gillian prodded him. "Sherlock Holmes over here, stalking my husband and his hot blonde AA sponsor."

"What a fool I was to wonder." Cal mused sarcastically.

"Sounds to me like he had your back." James chastised her.

"He did." Gillian agreed, staring lovingly in Cal's direction. "He does."

"I do." said Cal. "And all you do is nag, nag, nag-"

Due to the alcohol in her system, Gillian's playful smack was a lot harder than the sober one from earlier. Cal laughed, shocked at her strength even though he should have known better.

Juliet yawned first, and she admitted she was exhausted after a late night and early morning at work. Cal excused himself next, allowing Gillian more time with James if she chose to accept it. James and Gillian shared a few more stories about work, until he noticed Gillian was also very sleepy.

"I guess we'll see each other tomorrow." Gillian yawned and wrapped her sweater tighter around herself.

"I'll probably hit up that gym she showed us in the basement first thing. These heated floors are no joke."

"Mmm." Gillian blinked slowly. "You have fun with that. I'll be sleeping in."

James chuckled and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then sauntered off to his own room for the night.

* * *

The next day was going to be filled with snowy, winter-themed fun. There was enough joking and flirting going on, it was difficult to tell at first. But eventually all four of them began to notice.

Juliet reached for a box of cereal on a high shelf in the morning, before the coffee was ready. James, having just finished his work out, entered the kitchen to get more water. Juliet didn't notice James walking directly behind her until she'd physically checked him, bumping him into the kitchen island.

"Sorry!" She turned to make sure he was alright, and she got an up-close and personal look at his charmed half-smile. "I'm still half asleep." she stammered.

"Don't sweat it, Blondie."

Gillian's ears perked at that. Seated at the island counter directly across from them, it was hard to miss. Blondie was a pretty cute nickname. 'Doc' seemed so...plain in comparison.

They looked at each other a certain way, impossible not to notice after two days together. They had chemistry. Cal noticed it too, and in the looks that Cal and Gillian shared, they confirmed that they both knew.

They weren't exactly lacking chemistry themselves. Gillian and Cal had nearly a decade of private jokes and silent cues between them. They truly enjoyed spending time together, and it had been forever since that time had been spent on a relaxing vacation. That was what James and Juliet noticed; they were acquaintances dating best friends, and they weren't sure where they would stand at the end of the day.

* * *

At the end of the third day, when the power went out, they were standing in the dining room with empty plates in their hands.

"Whoa." Gillian tried not to panic in the sudden dark. She'd forgotten how remote the house was, and how dark winter nights could be.

"Oh, no." Juliet groaned. "Nobody move, I'll get flashlights and check the breakers."

Cal already had his phone out. "Looks like an isolated incident. Weather is bad and getting worse, though."

"That wind probably blew something over." said James.

"I've got a backup generator," said Juliet. "But it might not be hooked up. One of the many things Edmund left to rot over the years."

"I've got some tools in my truck, if you need any help."

Cal really wanted to wiggle his eyebrows at Gillian after that comment, but their eyes were still adjusting to the dark.

"I'm really sorry," said Juliet. "I should have checked it before we all came out here in the winter."

"It's fine!" Gillian insisted. "You've got a real fire place, right? We can camp out in the living room if we need to."

"We'll find a way to keep warm." James added.

"Come on, I'll go with you." Cal offered. "Let's get those flashlights and have a proper slumber party."

Juliet smiled gratefully. "Follow me."

* * *

"Seems like everyone is having a good time." Juliet remarked on their way down the basement stairs.

"Fast friends." Cal murmured, thinking of all of Juliet's tension-filled moments with James.

Juliet stopped abruptly on the third stair, turning to face Cal. They were lighting the way with their phones, lights pointed at the stair case. Juliet could see a soft, expectant smile from Cal in the dim light.

"Sorry if I seem...distant. This house holds a lot of memories. I thought I was ready, but..."

"Nothing to be sorry about, love." he replied. What he didn't add was that he was entirely used to it.

"Hmm." Juliet smiled up at him, thinking of all the Cal stories Gillian had shared with her over the years. She knew he was used to it.

They retrieved the flashlights first, and then bundled up to go outside and look for the generator. Their beams revealed only a stain on the ground where the propane tank used to be.

"Fuck you, Edmund." Juliet muttered angrily, just knowing he did it to spite her.

"The fire place it is, then?"

She hesitated, thinking about it.

"I don't want the pipes to freeze. I've put enough money into this place over the years."

Cal understood. She didn't want her ex-husband to win this one. They went upstairs to share the bad news with Gillian and James.

"It's still early," said Juliet. "I could make a run to the hardware store and buy a tank?"

"I've got my pick-up truck, if you want to take that."

"Is it a manual transmission?"

"You're damn right, it is."

Juliet chuckled. "Then I'll need you to drive it."

"You two want to come with?" James asked as he stood from the couch.

Gillian glanced at Cal. "Uh, no, we'll be fine here."

"You sure?" Juliet asked.

"Absolutely." Cal assured her.

"There's not a lot of room in my front seat." James admitted apologetically.

"Four's a crowd." said Cal.

"It's fine, really." Gillian brushed over his comment. "Is it alright if we start a fire?"

"Of course!" Juliet looked around for the right equipment, but Gillian shooed her away, insisting they would be able to figure it out.

"I promise, I won't let Cal blow up the house."

Julie hugged Gillian, and promised they'd be back as soon as possible.

* * *

"I almost got rid of this thing last year." James said on their way to the truck. "But something told me to hang on to it."

"That's exactly how I felt about this ridiculous house." said Juliet, smiling as he opened the passenger side door for her.

"I think the best bet would be Home Depot. It's not _too_ far away. About forty minutes, give or take?"

"Okay." Juliet sighed. "Oddly enough, I know how to install the thing. I'll just need help carrying it."

"I think I can handle that."

Another close smile from James before he closed the passenger side door, and Juliet was convinced she didn't need another source of heat for the night.

* * *

"Well. Looks like it's just you and me now." Cal remarked, matter-of-fact.

"Like so many times before." Gillian sighed. It had only been two nights, and they'd already lost their dates.

"Admit it," said Cal. "You sabotaged the house so you could have me all to yourself."

"You see right through me, Lightman."

"You good with the fire, then?"

Gillian shook her head. "I'll need help. Weren't you in the Royal British Boy Scouts or something?"

"Absolutely not. But I think we can figure it out together."

* * *

"I hope it's not crazy running to the hardware store at night. I feel bad leaving Gillian and Cal by themselves."

"I think they'll be okay." said James, his tone heavy with suggestion. He had some thoughts to share on the subject, and Juliet's soft giggle made him feel just comfortable enough to pry.

"They're really close, huh?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Juliet said wryly.

"Sometimes it seems like all they talk about is each other."

The silence that greeted his comment caused instant regret.

"Sorry, I know you and Gillian are friends-"

"No, I know exactly what you mean." Juliet assured him. "I guess I've been in denial and didn't want to say it out loud."

"I made it real?"

"Mm-hm. Gillian insists there's nothing going on, but..."

"Yeah, she insisted a little too much when I asked about it."

Juliet chose her next words carefully. "Gillian was a practicing psychiatrist for a long time; she's given me a lot of good advice over the years. But the really fun thing about being a doctor? We make the worst patients."

"Let me guess. You told her to go for it years ago, and she's been trying to find stand-ins ever since?"

Juliet thought about it for a few long moments. "...Ouch." she replied, as it all settled in.

"Fuck, I'm sorry." said James. "Didn't mean to bring the mood down."

"Believe me, it's always on my mind. She forgets how much I know about her and Cal."

"Are we just stops along the way?"

Juliet smiled. "Maybe. But, to be fair, I've needed some stops of my own."

"I hear ya, Blondie. When we get back to the house we'll make a toast to long road trips, how's that sound?"

"I'll open the bourbon for that." Juliet promised in return.

* * *

Once the fire was lit, Gillian and Cal felt safe opening another bottle of wine.

"Red tonight." Cal insisted. "The dry riesling makes my lips pucker."

"Fair enough." said Gillian, reaching for a pinot. "I don't hate red wine, you know."

"Really? I thought you bathed in white."

"You can tell?" Gillian asked, mock-worriedly.

They sat on the couch and stared into the fire, sipping wine and wondering how long their companions would be out in the cold.

"Have we ever dated at the same time?" Gillian asked idly.

"Does marriage count?"

"Of course not. I mean after the divorces."

Cal took a moment to think back on the last few years. "No, there hasn't been much overlap."

"Or any at all. I wonder why that is?"

"Do you really?"

Gillian smiled to herself. Wine warmed her cheeks and made her chatty. "...I guess not."

"Lightweight." Cal teased her.

"We haven't been drunk together in a long time either." said Gillian.

"Yeah." Cal agreed. "I miss it."

Gillian turned away from the fire to look at him. "You miss me getting drunk with you?"

"I miss everything about you, all the time."

"How can you miss me when I'm right here?" she asked.

She thought he was teasing her. He thought so too, at first.

"Something happened last year. Things got weird."

"Then make them un-weird." Gillian suggested simply.

Cal lifted his glass. "Trying." he said, and he received another tipsy smile for his efforts.

* * *

The snowfall was heavy on the way to the store. James' truck had good tires, but the wind concerned him. By the time they were leaving the store with the tank, it was enough to knock someone over. A strong gust threw him off balance, and he slipped on the ice. He would have fallen if not for Juliet's cat-like reflexes. She braced herself and caught his elbow, saving him and the merchandise.

"Thanks," he said.

"Don't worry about it." said Juliet. "I didn't want to carry a new tank _and_ a dead body."

"Uh huh, I see how it is." It was hard to be sarcastic when his boots kept slipping on the ice.

Wind and snow did not let up as they filled the tank. Juliet gave the attendant a withering look when he chastised them for not being more prepared for the storm.

"You have a good holiday." James made sure to tell him on their way out. They both got back in the truck, shutting their doors quickly to keep out the terrible weather.

"This was a stupid idea." Juliet declared.

James looked at the rest of the parking lot; there were very few cars, and the ones they saw were either covered in snow or parked by the side of the road, attempting to wait until conditions improved.

"Yeah, maybe." said James.

"Sorry I dragged you out here."

James turned to her. "I'm not."

* * *

 _The roads are terrible._ said the text from Juliet.

 _Are you guys OK?_ Gillian asked.

 _We're fine but we might need to stop somewhere for the night. Will you be OK?_

Gillian stared at her phone, not sure yet how she wanted to respond.

"What is it?" Cal prompted her. Her look was wry, very wry.

 _We'll be fine. Just stay safe!_ Gillian typed back. She put the phone down slowly, reaching for her wine glass to drain it.

Cal narrowed his eyes at her far-off look. "What?" he asked.

Gillian swallowed her wine, savoring the taste and the thoughts in her head.

"...I think we have officially lost our dates."

* * *

Tension was thick as James pulled into the motel lot. There was a light on in the manager's office, and James offered to go in by himself.

"No. I invited you to my fancy house for the weekend, I'll pay for this shitty motel."

James chuckled to himself and kept the engine running.

"One room or two?" Juliet asked softly, looking to James for an answer.

He looked back at her, unblinking. "Up to you, Blondie. I think you know my answer."

Juliet smiled softly and left the truck for a few minutes. When she came back, it was with one key only.

* * *

"You think they'll sleep together?" Cal asked.

"Even if they don't tonight," said Gillian, "They clearly want to."

"Oh, you noticed that?"

Gillian snorted at Cal's dry delivery. "I just realized why we never date at the same time."

"We choose people that are so perfect for ourselves, that they're perfect for each other?"

"I don't think it helps that we finish each other's sentences."

"Or we don't bother even doing that, because we read each other's minds instead."

"It can be a bit alienating."

"We're insufferable together." Cal said proudly.

She didn't want to put it that way, but they'd both noticed the growing distance between themselves and the other pair. They'd basically pushed them together.

Gillian shivered, once but intensely.

"Are you cold?" Cal asked. The fire was low, but they'd have to conserve if they were going to spend the night alone. "Come here."

"Cal..."

He laughed at her chiding response. "Come on, I've got body heat to give here."

Gillian _hmph'_ d and pouted, but she did scoot closer to him. He closed the gap and pulled a plush throw from the back of the couch around both of them. Despite her reluctance, Gillian sighed with relief at the warmth and leaned her face against his chest. Cal rested his cheek on the top of her head, wondering if she could feel his heart beat.

They sat together in silence for a while, staring at the fire like before. Their heads were swimming with alcohol, wondering how the weekend plans had been upended by inclement weather.

"I thought this one had potential." Cal admitted.

Gillian smiled. "Did you like her?"

"I did." Past tense. "Only 'cause she reminds me of you."

Gill snuggled closer, and Cal hugged her tighter.

"What did you tell her about me?" Cal whispered into Gillian's hair.

Gillian concentrated on her breathing. She was melting into him, and she wasn't sure if her eyes were wet because she'd been staring at the fire without blinking for too long. Wine set the words loose.

"I told her you're like a drug that's impossible to get out of your system. That maybe I'd be able to shake it if you found someone else."

Cal closed his eyes. "Do me a favor?" he asked softly.

"What?" Gillian whispered.

"Don't shake me."

Gillian pulled the blanket up, re-wrapping it around her shoulders as she moved to give Cal a soft kiss on the lips. "I couldn't if I tried."

Staring into his eyes afterward, similar moments came back to her.

"I remember now, why we don't get drunk together." she said quietly.

"'Cause we spill our guts and make out like teenagers?"

Gillian rubbed her ice cold nose against his. "Let's be adults this time." she said, and then climbed onto his lap.

* * *

When they returned to work the following Tuesday, the kids could sense something had changed. They stared, relentless, trying to deduce the events of that weekend by body language alone. But the body language remained the same; it was something about their attitude, a certain lightness in their overall demeanor that tipped them off.

Gillian took Eli with her to a field interview, and she braced herself for an onslaught of questions.

"An entire weekend, in a cabin in the woods..." Eli began to murmur while they were walking from a parking garage toward a high-rise.

"It was a house." Gillian reminded him warningly.

"A palatial estate in the woods." Eli corrected himself, for Gillian's approval. "A lot can happen in three nights."

"It can..."

"But did it?"

"It did."

" _Details._ " Eli stage whispered.

"Did you and Ria make another bet?"

"Maybe."

"Well..." Gillian paused for a very long time.

Eli remained silent, convinced he was on the cusp of a real peek into Gillian's mysterious love life.

"...Our dates slept together."

"Good lord." Eli blurted, unable to censor his immediate reaction.

"On the third night, no less."

"I did not even consider the possibility of that happening."

"You know, neither did we." Gillian replied, eyes narrowed with sarcastic thought. "They decided to stay an extra night, to really get to know each other better."

"This is strangely disappointing. I'm sorry."

Gillian flashed a genuine smile his way. "I'm not." she said, waiting until Eli's eyes lit with realization.

* * *

"So." Ria fidgeted as she and Cal waited for a prospective client to show up at the office. "How'd it go?"

Cal stared, considering the wealth of descriptive choices at his disposal. "Well." he said, enunciating the word in that annoying way of his.

Ria's eyebrows raised with thoughtful appraisal. Any news was good news with this guy.

"I might propose." Cal added.

Ria then choked on air. "Excuse me?"

"It's been long enough, hasn't it?"

"It's...been two weeks."

"Oh, you thought I meant Juliet. No, no. I mean Foster. Love of my life, about yea tall, you might have seen her around."

Ria's expression flattened as she processed this nugget of sarcasm into the truth. "Don't do this to me. I ship it too hard for you to play with my emotions like this."

"You what it?"

"Never mind. Are you serious?"

"I guess we'll both find out."

Ria continued to fidget, even more anxious now that Cal was messing with her head. She'd have to get the truth out of Foster.

"I hope she keeps her last name." Ria muttered.

"Why?" Cal demanded, wounded.

"I can't call both of you 'Lightman'."

* * *

Over coffee a few days later, Gillian and Juliet finally swapped all the details of that weird weekend in the snow.

"That extra night was worth it." said Juliet. "We screwed in every room of that house."

Gillian's wicked smile widened. "So did we."

Juliet snorted hot coffee through her nose, for which Gillian apologized profusely through their laughter.

"So, you're really okay with this?" Juliet asked, after Gillian made sure she wasn't going to drown.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

Juliet shrugged. "You went out there with James..."

"Mm..." Gillian grimaced non-committally. "Technically, I went out there with Cal. It was only fitting I leave with him, right?"

"So it's not just a one-time thing?"

Gillian smiled to herself dreamily. "I think we're stuck with each other. But, if you wanted to let me know what I missed out on with James in very intimate detail, I won't stop you."

"It's the least I can do. But I might wait until we're done with this coffee."

Gillian agreed. Fortunately for all parties, she was a very patient woman.


End file.
